Digital technologies enable a user to digitize a personal image such as a hardcopy print or photographic negative by scanning the print or photographic negative to obtain image data which is stored as an image file on the user's personal computer. The image file can be displayed on the user's personal computer enabling the user to manipulate selected images using software such as Adobe PhotoShop. The user can transmit the image file over a channel such as the Internet or send via the U.S. Postal Service a hard copy of the image such as a print to a receiving agency for printing, reprinting and ordering related image services. Services selected using the chosen images are used in a number of different applications. In one of those applications, so-called “sticker prints” are made on a print media having an adhesive base and arranged so that they can be peeled off and individually pasted onto another surface. However, these stickers are not used in situations, which require that they be “authentic” such as postage stamps. By use of the term “authentic” is meant that the image can indicate to a viewer or a reader with a high degree of certainty that the image has not been counterfeited.
One of the image related services might be the request for personalized postage stamps. Personalized postage stamps is where stamps are produced on demand with customer specified subject matter. Currently one of the requirements of postal authorities is that the image contents of a postal stamp be regulated with respect to quality, authenticity of the stamp and other characteristics such as the nature of the subject matter. By subject matter it is meant any depiction or otherwise representation portrayed in printed or encoded form on the stamp. There are specific guidelines and safeguards to protect the public and individuals with respect to decency, objectionable images and or text, and the right to use a specific image or representation in the form of postal stamps. Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/359,152, filed Jul. 22, 1999, entitled “Authorizing the Printing of Digital Images” by Patton et al describes a method for sending a digital image file to an authorizing agency. The authorizing agency receiving the digital image file displays at least one received digital image and examines the displayed digital image to determine whether its contents are acceptable for making images. After examining the displayed image and verifying the user's authorization information, the authorizing agency approves the printing of the transmitted digital image on a receiver such as a stamp at a designated location.
Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/378,159, filed Aug. 19, 1999, entitled “System for Customizing and Ordering Personalized Postage Stamps,” by Patton et al describes a system and method for customizing and ordering an official postal product. The system includes a central authorizing computer system for communicating with at least one remote ordering system over a communication network. The central authorizing computer system having a computer program for forwarding information to the at least one remote ordering system for allowing customizing of an image for use in an official postal product from the at least one remote ordering system.
One problem with the methods disclosed above is there are no provisions for permanently storing an image and its authorization so the image can be printed again at a later time on a receiver such as a stamp without having to be pre-approved.
A second problem is that in addition to the image there can be associated text and graphics that has been previously pre-approved and would need to be pre-approved to be printed again on a receiver such as a stamp.
A third problem is the user would have to resubmit the image, text, and graphic to the authoring agency along with their permission to print the image, text and graphics on a receiver such as a stamp.
A fourth problem is after an image, text or graphic has been submitted and pre-approved there is no way to identify and track the image, text or graphic for later retrieval and use.
A fifth problem is after an image, text or graphic has been submitted and verified there is no way to incorporate the retrieved image, text or graphics into an existing document that is printed at the requesting site.